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According to political science findings, Democrat candidates enjoy about a seven-point voter "ignorance advantage." That is, if the U.S. electorate had full comprehension of major party positions, there would be a seven point swing to Republicans. (Again, that the Dems target the moron vote is not entirely a caricature.)

I think 7% is a low number.

It's not how old you are, it's how you got here.It's been a long road and not all of it was paved.A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes. Gandhi

Originally Posted by Carol

When I judge someone's integrity one key thing I look at is - How does s/he treat people s/he doesn't agree with or does not like?
I can respect someone who I do not agree with, but I have NO respect for someone who puts others down in a public forum. That is the hallmark of someone who has no integrity, and cannot be trusted.

Here's the problem I have with the article. They are blaming the teachers' unions (and, hence, the teachers) when the policies that dumbed down and de-moralized education came straight from the Department of Education. Using Federal money as a carrot and stick, the Department of Education forced districts to adopt self-defeating and destructive programs (like bilingual ed in elementary school) and to dumb down academics (equality of outcomes). This came from the Department of Ed, which Reagan promised to abolish in 1980 but did not. Through consolidation of small local school districts into large, centrally-controlled behemoths, and by using Federal money as leverage, the Department of Education called the shots and shredded the education system. The unions may have played their part, but they could never have done this kind of thing alone.

If you're really interested in the dumbing down of American education, the BEST book to read is The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America, written by Charlotte Iserbyt. The book is available free online in long form and for 29.99 in abridged version, and contains original documents tracing the deliberate manipulation of education to become "values-based" as opposed to academic. Please read at least her first chapter before commenting on education. She worked for Ronald Reagan and was appointed to the Dept of Ed. She was shocked at the plans she found there and compared them directly to the Soviet system. You can download her articles here.

Another milestone on my journey was an in-service training session entitled “Innovations
in Education.” A retired teacher, who understood what was happening in education, paid
for me to attend. This training program developed by Professor Ronald Havelock of the
University of Michigan and funded by the United States Office of Education taught teachers
and administrators how to “sneak in” controversial methods of teaching and “innovative”
programs. These controversial, “innovative” programs included health education, sex
education, drug and alcohol education, death education, critical thinking education, etc. Since
then I have always found it interesting that the controversial school programs are the only
ones that have the word “education” attached to them! I don’t recall—until recently—”math
ed.,” “reading ed.,” “history ed.,” or “science ed.” A good rule of thumb for teachers, parents
and school board members interested in academics and traditional values is to question any
subject that has the word “education” attached to it.

This in-service training literally “blew my mind.” I have never recovered from it. The
presenter (change agent) taught us how to “manipulate” the taxpayers/parents into accepting
controversial programs. He explained how to identify the “resisters” in the community and
how to get around their resistance. He instructed us in how to go to the highly respected
members of the community—those with the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Junior League,
Little League, YMCA, Historical Society, etc.—to manipulate them into supporting the
controversial/non-academic programs and into bad-mouthing the resisters. Advice was also
given as to how to get the media to support these programs.

Being in the class room or related to those in the class room since 1964 through today, I have seen and heard all of the above. IMHO, the NEA started the Dept of Ed off on this track. (not the teachers but their "leaders")

It's not how old you are, it's how you got here.It's been a long road and not all of it was paved.A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes. Gandhi

Originally Posted by Carol

When I judge someone's integrity one key thing I look at is - How does s/he treat people s/he doesn't agree with or does not like?
I can respect someone who I do not agree with, but I have NO respect for someone who puts others down in a public forum. That is the hallmark of someone who has no integrity, and cannot be trusted.

Being in the class room or related to those in the class room since 1964 through today, I have seen and heard all of the above. IMHO, the NEA started the Dept of Ed off on this track. (not the teachers but their "leaders")

Oh, no. The Department of Ed was the main culprit. The union leadership takes their marching orders from higher ups.

I went on a tour of my former high school last fall, as part of the 30 year reunion. I think I got a pretty good education there. The school is still considered one of the best public schools in the state.

I have to admit, though, that I don't really see the purpose of having fancy weight machines that students can plug their i-phones into and record their gym assignment for the day. If I lived in the district, I'd wonder about spending money on stupid crap like that instead of textbooks or tutoring programs for kids who are having problems in their academic studies. There was a similarly cool, but useless, art display/gallery.

Oh, no. The Department of Ed was the main culprit. The union leadership takes their marching orders from higher ups.

Sorry to disagree but, as I said, I was there. It's why I refused to join the NEA and told everyone associated with it exactly why.

It's not how old you are, it's how you got here.It's been a long road and not all of it was paved.A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes. Gandhi

Originally Posted by Carol

When I judge someone's integrity one key thing I look at is - How does s/he treat people s/he doesn't agree with or does not like?
I can respect someone who I do not agree with, but I have NO respect for someone who puts others down in a public forum. That is the hallmark of someone who has no integrity, and cannot be trusted.

The Feds or the NEA...It's not like they'd have much to fight about. Neither gives a damn about providing the tools for a better education. It's about indoctrination. They should both replace the "E" in their names with "I".